The Dude is of two minds when it comes to Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers. That the Dude and the chain share an affinity for pizza that’s baked with care, covered in a slew of toppings and served with a ice-cold craft beer is undeniable. That Mellow Mushroom’s funky decor always makes the Dude feel at home is empirical fact. But the Dude’s experience with the food has been marked with inconsistency. At the Hilton Head location, the Dude once got a pizza that had been buried under crumbled parmesan, making the Dude feel like he needed a shovel to find the crust. At the chain’s Blowing Rock, N.C., location, however, the Dude sampled a “Philosopher’s Pie” that was the platonic ideal of what a pizza should be.

At the chain’s new Bluffton location, the Dude decided not to tempt fate with the pizza, but opted instead for the chicken parmesan hoagie (chosing to leave off chips as an entremet, which is a word the dude learned while watching the Scripps National Spelling Bee during his visit). The Dude was on company time, otherwise his chosen entremet would have been a “Dirty Hippie,” which blends Guiness and Sweetwater 420 IPA. Yum. The hoagie was well toasted and well presented, but there was some flavor in the sauce (the Dude possibly detected a hint of anise?) that didn’t pair as well with the chicken as the Dude had hoped. Not quite a flop, but definitely not warranting another sample.

So alas, while the food didn’t hold up its end very well, the decor is spot on. One wall is lined with the facade of an old-timber shack, complete with corrugated metal roof, festooned with colorful, funky artwork. You could place this wall anywhere in Old Town and everyone would swear it had been there for years.

And therein lies the problem. All around Mellow Mushroom you’ll find similar Bluffton-inspired funkiness, but it sort of irks the Dude that none of Bluffton’s artists were actually involved in the production. Instead, the chain’s design team sort of aped the Bluffton State of Mind. They did an amazing job of it, don’t get the Dude wrong, and everything feels extremely authentic and creatively funky. But it’s still an authentic replica of a group of creatively funky artists’ work.

Maybe the Dude owes Mellow Mushroom the benefit of the doubt — it could be that we’re a funky little town and they’re a funky little chain, so there’s bound to be some artistic similarities. It’s something to think about over a Dirty Hippie.

The Dude finds himself on the horns of a dilemma. The Dude’s recent visit probably didn’t live up to the high hopes he’d had since that sign went up. On the other hand, the Mellow Mushroom has built up enough goodwill in the Dude’s heart that he hopes his next visit will. And there will be a next visit.

Ambience: 96 — Love the firefly lights

Service: 99

Menu choices: 99

Food: 90

Perhaps it is because the Dudette has eaten pizza all over the world that it takes a lot to turn her head. Or perhaps it is because before dining she had indulged in the tasty pesto cheese bread with about a pound of yummy melted mozzarella on lovely bread. No matter what the reason, the choice of a 10-inch Magical Mystery Tour pizza probably was not enough contrast to make a fair evaluation of Mellow Mushroom’s offerings.

The Magical Mystery Tour pizza is pesto based with button and portobello mushrooms, mozzarella, spinach, feta and jalapenos. Nice but more of the same after the appetizer. Perhaps the Dudette should have tried the tortilla soup with sour cream, avocado, cheddar cheese and a lime garnish and left the bread to the Dude.

The name is intriguing, taking the Dudette back to the Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” days — psychedelic art and magic mushrooms — about which she honestly knew nothing except that they were possibly not legal. The interior, it seems, is designed to fit in with the locale and it certainly does. It is also the first time the Dudette has seen fireflies in the Lowcountry. They are very large — and very plugged-in. The lights near the “Palmetto Bluff” end of the restaurant are contained in mason jars wired for electricity and soaring on metal wings.

The salads come in large bowls and come with international flair — such as the Greek — or with intimidating names like The Brutus.

Mellow Mushroom’s menu seems to be covered with spinach, feta, garlic and cheeses of all kinds — the Dudette’s favorite kind of place. You can get strong and fend off vampires at the same time. Dude apparently has been to other Mellow Mushrooms because he recommended the Philosopher’s Pie the next time. The Dudette could indeed contemplate an olive oil and garlic base pizza with grilled steak, portobello mushrooms, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, provolone, feta and mozzarella cheeses.

Mellow Mushroom has four flavor-based pies: Olive oil and garlic, pesto, red sauce and barbeque. There are dozens of toppings on offer for hundreds of build-your-own pizza pie, salad and calzone combinations.

What’s not to love about a place that can offer the goods to vegetarians, gluten-free diners and everyone else?

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